I have to say that one thing that I'm terribly excited about is taking my mother-in-law, Diane, for her first trip to Walt Disney World this October.
Diane hasn't been to any Disney park before and I'm not so sure that she knows what to expect. I think that she may be thinking in a world of extremes. That the attractions and environment are either going to be a bit intimidating and thrilling or tame and aimed at children. While certain parts of WDW can be either of these things the overall idea of the park is geared to be family friendly.
Mom, Matt, and myself are trying to help Diane understand what to expect from certain attractions that may appear to be intimidating but really aren't so bad. My mom is pulling hard for Diane to go on Splash Mountain. Mom claims that she is the biggest chicken of them all and that if she can do it and likes it then anyone can. She does say that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was horribly scary and made her feel "a little " sick after. I remember taking her on it back in 2005 and all she said was that it was jerky and loud. We did sit in the back so I can see her thinking that. Still, scariest thing ever? I think not.
I've explained to both my mom and Diane that they can walk through the queue and pre-show of any attraction and then when it comes time to board simply say that you'd like to exit. Mom really wants to see Tower of Terror's pre-show and what the hotel looks like on the inside. I think she thinks that I'm going to trick her into somehow going on it. I would never do that. She'd hate me! Haha!
Mom and I both discussed our hopes that Diane "gets it." Or at the very least... appreciates it. You can't force someone to get it and you can't teach someone to get it. They just have to. It's kind of like the glass slipper fitting properly. You can try cutting off part of your foot to make it work but at the end of the day you have to walk out of the park with a natural smile on your face.
I think Diane will really enjoy the appearance of things. I think World Showcase at Epcot will end up being one of her favorite places. She's a person of few words so she'll probably just stand there taking things in for the most part. The Polynesian Resort is going to blow her away I have no doubt. Diane loves being on the beach. She would do that the whole time if we let her I'm sure.
I have to keep in mind that I'm going with a first timer. That Diane will want to stop and do things and see things that I may usually blow past. It's going to be difficult to get her to trust me when I say that certain things just aren't worth your very precious park time (i.e. Stitch's Great Escape). I'll be moving at a slower pace in general which I think will help me really appreciate even more.
The key to it all is getting Diane to relax and enjoy her vacation. She gets stressed easily. The other day my mom said that Diane told her that she's nervous about being away from home for so long. She also isn't very keen on flying but she'll pop a few anxiety pills and get over it. We've gotta get the woman to let loose! It's Disney World for crying out loud! Everyone is a kid. : )
My brother and his wife do NOT like theme parks of any type. They think we are nuts for going to Disneyland and Disneyworld as much as we do. They just don't "get" it and probably never will. I do hope that some day they take their kids at least to a local amusement park. Because seeing kids enjoy rides and stuff is such a blast!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I like the new look for the blog! :)
I think some people see it as more of a hassle. Some people would prefer not doing a whole heck of a lot on a vacation. For me, it's all about having fun. I think if you're unprepared for what a Disney park is like it's going to be stressful once you get there. It's A LOT to take in if you're unaware of what is going on.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you :) I like it as well!
My brother and SIL have little patience for crowds of people. So I think that is a main factor in them hating amusement parks.
ReplyDeleteI hate crowds at places like the store and whatnot. But on vacation, I can tolerate it a bit more. Sure, it can get annoying and frustrating but my tolerance level is different.
I like relaxing vacations too. Like to the Florida Keys (went in 2002 with my parents) where for the most part we hung out on the beach. Or the Bahamas on our honeymoon...that was relaxing too. But I also love Disney vacations even though they can be tiring at the end of the week.
I hope you have a good trip with her... I've been on two trips to Disney with my mother in law, and both have been HORRIBLE. She likes it enough, she's just very, VERY controlling and wants everyone to do exactly what she wants, when she wants it. Oh, and we have to be together for 24 hours a day every day. I kind of think I would rather her not really enjoy Disney so that she would stop inviting herself along on our trips haha... (luckily not ALL our trips!)
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